October kicks off with World Vegetarian Day which is held on the first of the month - a perfect excuse to get stuck into the squash that is in abundance this season. Carving pumpkins is a fun Halloween tradition but remember that the innards are a tasty treat. My favourite way to use them is roasted and puréed for a ravioli filling and when rubbed with garlic oil and roasted, pumpkin is a delicious addition to a Sunday roast.
Of course, prolonged vegetarianism would be foolish seeing as October is when game starts trickling into shops. This year I got my hands on a glut of damsons and have made a jar of sauce that complements the meat beautifully. Loath as I am to utter the dreaded C word prematurely, it really is necessary to think ahead if you want to make your Christmas as tasty as possible. Damson sauce is a great alternative to cranberry sauce, if you fancy a more original addition to your seasonal table.
This month is also the height of the British apple season. It's almost a shame to cook them as they are delicious au natural but a bit of pastry never does any harm so I'm using this month to perfect my Tarte Tatin making skills. Waitrose stock "Weather blemished" apples which are great value, prevent food waste and give our orchard farmers a helping hand when the weather works against them. They are perfectly imperfect and I love them so much that I seek them out over their more aesthetically pleasing counterparts. It's the shopping equivalent of welcoming an abandoned kitten into your home, albeit less messy and a lot tastier.
